Earlier this year the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions approved charges against the former governor, but he moved to court to stop his arrest pending the hearing of his petition. Given the gravity of the offence in question, it would have been in order for the President to let the former Governor clear his name first before nominating him, in line with the requirements of Chapter 6 on leadership and integrity. Such nominations by President Ruto begs the question of whether his statements are mere rhetoric or genuine commitments to the fight against corruption.
Oparanya Arrest And Charges Must Follow High Court Judgement Quashing DPP's Decision To Drop Corruption Charges
In his judgement, Hon. Justice B.M. Musyoki declared that the DPP’s directive to drop charges of corruption, conflict of interest, abuse of office, and money laundering was irregular, opaque, and contrary to public interest. The judgement further revealed that the DPP acted unconstitutionally by disregarding the input of the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC), the mandated investigative agency, and instead relied solely on submissions from Wycliffe Oparanya’s legal team.